Truffles, left© Photo Healy Racing
At the sixth stage of the Galway Festival, we are getting to the juncture of the week where some runners are turning out for the second time. Several of these will come in for attention on today's card. Truffles rounded off a never-to-be-forgotten day for Sheila Lavery on Tuesday evening, when bringing up her first double in the concluding seven-furlong handicap.
That form has received a boost in the interim with runner-up Honor Oak scoring in style on the Ladies Day card on Thursday.
Gavin Ryan offsets the 6lb mandatory penalty that Truffles must shoulder in the Ardilaun Hotel Handicap.
The talented 7lb claimer looks a good booking on the part of Ms Lavery, the downside though is that the Canford Cliffs filly has a horrible draw, berthed out in stall 16. Camlann is another horse bidding to go back-to-back at the 2018 Ballybrit extravaganza when he contests the McDonogh Capital Investments Handicap.
It has been a dream few days for Camlann’s owners, the Mee family, and with this John ‘Shark’ Hanlon-trained gelding they can rightly hope for further gains.
A teak-tough performer, the well-bred son of Cape Cross has also been declared for Sunday, and he actually ran here three times in 2016 and 2017.
Grand National-winning handler Martin Brassil’s inmates are in tip-top shape, as evidenced by successes for City Island and You Raised Me Up on Wednesday and Thursday.
You Raised Me Up was ridden by Jamie Codd, and the leading amateur also takes the mount for Brassil on Florazi in the Galway Shopping Centre Irish EBF Mares INH Flat Race.
We have not seen the daughter of Stowaway since November, but with three second placings to her name she is a definite contender for this extended two-mile heat.
Elsewhere, many will justifiably look towards the Ballydoyle hopes, Broome and Astronomer for the maidens that start the programme.
Like those contests, the nursery is backed by Betway, and it could be bound for Paddy Twomey’s An Aingeal Dubh under in-form Billy Lee. Manamite meanwhile, is eyecatching in the O’Leary Insurances Maiden Hurdle.
